June 23rd, 2021

ISSUE #2 : : JUNE 2021

IN THIS EDITION

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Panal House / Estudio Dikenstein Arquitectos

MATANZAS, CHILE
Architects: Estudio Dikenstein Arquitectos
Photographs: Cristobal Palma / Estudio Palma
Construction: Estudio Dikenstein

From Arch Daily : : Curated by Agustina Coulleri

Text description provided by the architects.
Panal House, located in Condominio Quebrada Matanzas, poses itself as an astonished viewer by the Pacific Ocean, raised 90 meters above sea level, seeking the best views that naturally lead us towards the southwest to make the most of its breathtaking surroundings.
This project’s first hurdle seemed challenging enough. It required to settle a structure over a 55° sloped hill with poor ground quality and a 15 to 25 knots south-blowing yearlong wind. Amidst a hostile yet charming setting with great views of the ocean, simultaneously calling upon us to connect and reflect on the best way to inhabit this coastal area.

Structured with a mixed system of naked concrete bare loading walls appearing in three levels, which are set-in the hill, steel, and wooden elements, it is that the house seems to be suspended, as well as being able to have a high percentage of windows on its facades.

The project consists of two separate levels divided by a 40-meters-long red stripe that
runs from the lower access and acts as a connector between both.
This gesture allows for the development of individua​l facades in which both
 structures benefit from a sea view and the most favorable 
hill levels, creating a visually pleasing break.
​
The upper level hosts the main entrance, via a space-organizing hall that houses one
bedroom, bathroom, and a common room that works as kitchen, dinner,
and living room, as well as the staircases that lead to the other levels.
The fireplace was thought and designed as a sculptural element,
and therefore placed in a central spot. Presenting two glass sides,
it grants the possibility to be reflected on the surrounding window panes,
reaching every room and both floors. From the north-facing terrace, the roof is
easily accessed, adding a third level from which the full scope of the house is truly appreciated.
​A portion of this roof remains uncovered, allowing the sun to filter into the lower levels.

Panal House offers at the same time a radical experience and an experimental way of living as it integrates all spaces: the outside and the inside, vertical and horizontally. The ocean, the moon, the sun, the stars, fire, and earth are the main elements that make us reflect on this experiment on living through open and permeable spaces, sensitive to perceptions and willing to connect with those who inhabit them.

Shack in the Rocks / Sean Godsell Architects

• O N E 
• T W O 
• T H R E E 
• F O U R 
• F I V E 

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Text description provided by the architects : : [from ArchDaily.com]
 The site is in country Victoria approximately one hour’s drive west of Melbourne. A previous scheme for this site was shelved due to cost. In reappraising the problem we suggested to our client that they might consider a simple farm shed to provide rudimentary accommodation on a different part of the site from the previous scheme. They had already erected a large machinery shed with solar panels and rainwater collection tanks uphill from where we agreed a very simple adaptation of a hayshed might occur.
n our discussions we noted the primary requirement in rural and outback Australia for shelter - a roof parasol that provides some shade and protection from the rain as well as a place to enjoy outdoor activities - cooking, eating and engaging with and framing the spectacular landscape that exists on this particular site.

In the end we adapted a hayshed structure and modified it by including a translucent roofing material for light and adapting some industrial walkway grating to make a louvre for shade. Two translucent 'sheds' are positioned to the east end of a monolithic concrete plinth - one shed for cooking and eating and the other for sleeping and ablutions.
​
Two houses by Riken Yamamoto and Field Shop - Yamakawa Cottage (1976) and the Ishii house (1977) - disassemble conventional residential programmes and then reassemble them in a highly creative way. I remember being intrigued by these projects as a young architect. In the case of the Yamakawa Cottage the functional programme is distributed in an ordered and logical way across a single level timber platform.

​This highly poetic scattering of spaces is controlled by a large shallow gable roof which shelters not only the rooms but the outdoor or 'other' space in the building. This 'other' space is intriguing to me and I certainly had the Yamakawa Cottage in mind when I designed this shack in the rocks. 

Rounded-edge furniture and curvaceous interior architecture create a comforting, tactile design aesthetic. Rounded furniture makes it possible to fashion layouts with a soft and easy flow, no matter what the size of the room. In compact spaces, rounded edges are the perfect solution for avoiding awkward corners and knocked shins. In a large living space, a curved furniture piece can make a distinct and eye-catching focal point. These smooth individuals work beautifully when teamed with elegant architectural arches, round feature windows and snaking partition walls for a cohesive theme. Alternatively, sharp geometric outlines can make a crisply contrasting option. 

There is something, oh-so-very soothing about this space - and mostly as a result of the sinuous, sensuous, curvaceousness of the furniture. It is all appropriate - it all speaks the same language and the same dialect. And more than anything else it just all feels effortless - chill, hang out, lounge easy......
I think I could do that here - how about you?

Apple Converts 1920s Downtown LA Theatre
into Show-stopping Store

by Elly Parsons

Apple Tower Theater in downtown Los Angeles brings the roaring 20s into the 2020s
​
Apple has raised the curtain on its new Los Angeles flagship, Apple Tower Theater. Open from Thursday (24 June 2021), the historic art deco theatre has been painstakingly renovated into a creative hub for the 21st century, that echoes Apple’s global commitment to historical renovation.

A short history of Tower Theater

Opened in 1927, beloved local landmark Tower Theater has quite a history. Designed by renowned theatre architect S. Charles Lee, in what was his very first project of its kind, the first film showed was comedy The Gingham Girl. After entertaining LA for over half a century, Tower Theater finally closed its doors in 1988, becoming a protected piece of architecture the following year.

In its glorious heyday, the historic Broadway theatre district in downtown LA would have been ‘the place to go; full of life’, says Stefan Behling, senior executive partner at Foster + Partners, longtime Apple design collaborator. He continues, ‘The area has since retained its edge, and relation to the arts.’

Apple: The Sequel
Working with a team of preservationists, the Apple design team, alongside a taskforce of local artisans and craftspeople, used innovative techniques like 3D laser scans and forensic paint studies to understand and replicate the original colours and textures found in the old theatre. More traditional techniques were used too, including ‘tipping’, a stippling method used to prevent brush marks. ‘This project has been a true labour of love,’ says Doo Ho Lee, director of retail design at Apple.

‘Everything was covered in this delicious brown,’ says Behling, of the long-shuttered space, pre-renovation. Though the nicotine sheen gave a certain charm to the art deco crystal chandelier, it certainly dazzles now, since being lovingly cleaned in a process that took months of work and dedication. ‘You have to approach the restoration as you would approach the restoration of an old master painting, carefully peeling back the brine’.

Detailed bronze elements were discovered throughout, nowhere more impressively than the lobby staircase, the glamorous bronze handrail of which steals focus. Glance up, and a once cherub-filled ceiling mural has been toned down with a more minimalist blue-sky-and-cloud painting, created to mirror the California sky beyond. Elsewhere, plush leather seating is similar to that of the theatre in Apple Park, while also nodding to the cinema-style seating that archival photographs reveal once occupied the space.

Design collaboration
Despite designing during a pandemic, which forced many of the conversations online, the 12-year-long creative relationship between Foster + Partners and Apple continues to showcase results. ‘Apple will go all the way with the design details of a space; they treat their store design with the same love and care as they do a product,’ says Behling.

As well as a collaboration between Apple and Fosters + Partners, there’s a sense that this is also a form of partnership with original architect S. Charles Lee, whom Behling refers to as ‘my esteemed colleague’. ‘We always ask, "What would the original architect think?"’ As with all contemporary Apple retail architecture which is housed in historic buildings (see Washington DC, Rome, and Paris examples) preserving the charm of the original space is of great importance.

Introducing Today at Apple Creative Studios LA
Using the new downtown Los Angeles flagship as its first base (before rolling out in Apple stores in locations globally), a new community-centric initiative developed by the Today at Apple programme is also launching. The project will provide hands-on experience and mentorship to young creatives.

In collaboration with the nonprofit Music Forward Foundation, as well as Inner-City Arts and the Social Justice Learning Institute, Creative Studios LA will provide access to technology, creative resources, and hands-on experience, along with a platform to elevate and amplify up-and-coming talents’ stories over nine weeks of free programming. Noah Humes and his mentor, Maurice Harris – two artists who worked on a mural that spans one exterior wall of Tower Theater – will teach a virtual session.

10-Story Apartment Building
​Assembled in 1 Day


Broad Sustainable Building is at it again with its new 5D folding modular system
​
By Lloyd Alter

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Broad Sustainable Building has been developing factory-built structures since 2009, usually with headlines noting a hotel was built in a week or an office tower in a month. However, this is the first time we have ever seen a 10-story building put together in just one day. Turn down your sound (for some reason the soundtrack is a version of Scarborough Fair, made famous by Simon and Garfunkel, and it doesn't work for me) and watch the video:

It is built with the company's latest 5D system that has the advantages of shipping container housing: It can be transported inexpensively using standard shipping container handling equipment—at least when shipping prices get back to relative normality. But it does not have the hopelessly limiting interior dimensions of shipping containers, because walls and floors fold out to double their width, resulting in a clear span of 39.3 feet by 15.75 feet by 9 feet high. Treehugger has shown this system before, but never in a building this tall.

This offers the best of both modular and panelized worlds. Because half of the unit is shipped in 3D form, one can have the kitchens, baths, and mechanical systems all in place, without shipping a lot of air for bedrooms and living spaces, which are in the foldout sides. Broad explains:

"Floors, walls, windows, and glass; electrical and mechanical equipment; AC and DC power, lighting, water supply, and drainage; as well as sanitary facilities, are all completed in the factory before transport. Because 95% of the producer is preassembled, there is minimal work to be done on site. After bolts are tightly connected, and water supply and drainage among modules and electricity are ready, the structure can be occupied immediately."

It's all done in the factory
Broad has developed a series of building systems, and a well-known structural engineer once told Treehugger the only reason these buildings got built so quickly was that Broad threw so many people at them and made them work all night. But the 5B system is built almost entirely in the factory; the only thing done on-site is the unfolding of the walls and making the connections. Engineer Brian Potter of Construction Physics is not thrilled with the B-Core stainless steel panel system, but when it comes to the 5B:

"I actually find this system fairly compelling. It’s arranged for long-distance shipping intelligently, maximizing the amount square footage shipped in smart ways (folding) without adding a ton of extra complexity or field work. It doesn’t allow the layout to change for future use, but it is theoretically demountable and movable. It’s highly repetitive, making large-volume production easier - it actually resembles the “kit of parts'' idea, an endlessly alluring concept in building design where a relatively small number of basic components gets combined in a variety of building configurations."
It is indeed compelling, combining the economy of containerized shipping, the 3D configuration of modular construction, and the space-saving benefits of panelized construction, picking and choosing the best of these different systems.

And hey, you can buy an entire 20 unit apartment building for less than the cost of a modest house in San Francisco or Toronto—shipping not included. Who wouldn't find that compelling?

G'wan wit' ya!
Ya cain't be serious like. . . .
Is this sumpin' like that black magic stuff?
 

You mean to tell me it's really a desk inside a closet like an accordion?
Yup!
Exactamundo. . . . . . . .

THIS SLIM WALL CABINET OPENS INTO A SLEEK, MODERN, FUNCTIONAL WORKSPACE!
BY Ruchi Thukral  06/11/2021

As a child, every time I opened a wall cabinet or wardrobe I expected to find an entry to Narnia. As an adult who is working from home for over a year, I expect to open a wall cabinet or wardrobe and find a home office. Turns out dreams do come true because Nils Holger Moorman has designed ‘der Vorstand’ – a slim wall cabinet that hides a functional home office!

​The black slender cabinet opens into a multifunctional work setup that creates a space for productivity while respecting your interior layout. The minimal structure features a back wall on wheels that rolls out with a simple pull and just like a pop-up book you get a work desk that comes with integrated bookshelves and a top light. The convenient workstation maximizes your floor space and minimizes distractions. The fold-out ceiling creates a sense of a private cabin with essentials. The back wall is mounted on wheels for effortless movement with a magnetic exterior. Every element has its designated place which is a Moorman design principle – from pens to the books, even electronic devices can be charged with hidden cables which helps maintain a clean visual aesthetic. You can also add a curtain to the side and the ceiling light can be adjusted to suit your needs.

Fun fact: ‘der Vorstand was initially made to be submitted to a design competition and now the winning model become a popular (and much needed!) independent room-in-room solution. Surfaces and materials are reduced to the basics – solid ash wood and light beige linoleum are used where hands and eyes rest/work in concentration; while black surfaces and quiet restraint are used where nothing should be distracting. Every detail is thoughtfully designed for storing, cabling, and locking the fold-out mechanism that stands for integrity and performance.

​“We are in search of furniture creations based on a special idea. Sometimes absurd, sometimes brilliant, sometimes a detail, sometimes a revolution. Typically a minimalist formal language with a high level of experience – but always with a subtle twinkle in the eye,” says the Moorman team. Think of ‘der Vorstand’ as a sleek convertible meets a minimal office pod to give you the best of functionality in an elegant form.

Designer: Nils Holger Moorman